Stranded on the Streets: Belarusian Mother and Child Unable to Depart Dubai following Fly Dubai Cancellation
A Belarusian mom and her kid embarked on a trip to Dubai on June 4th, returning ticket in hand for June 14th, courtesy of Fly Dubai. However, their departure was canceled on the day, leaving them stranded and seeking a way back home, as reported by Onliner.by.
The woman, who bought the tour package through a Belarusian travel agency, revealed that "Russian Express" served as the tour operator, and Al Khalidia was their contact in Dubai. Post the flight cancellation, the family was initially promised an extended hotel stay; however, they were shifted from a luxurious accommodation to a more modest four-star one, with arrangement valid for only a day. Finding a new shelter proved time-consuming, due to communication complications between the tour operator and the hotel.
"They kept promising us a return to Minsk, but then started offering flights to Moscow and Samara – none of which were confirmed," the woman shared. She and her Belarusian agent persistently demanded alternatives for traveling back to Minsk, only to be denied by Fly Dubai, who wouldn't permit Belarusian tourists on flights to Russian cities.
While Russian tourists are being actively evacuated, the woman pointed out, Fly Dubai flights to Samara, Moscow, and St. Petersburg, alongside Aeroflot and Pobeda flights, continue. Yet, Belarusian tourists are found without viable options, as Fly Dubai has suspended operations to Minsk and restricted Belarusians from flights to Russia. Though a June 17th flight was assured, no official updates have been received. The consulate and the tour operator urge patience. The family's hotel stay has been prolonged until June 19th, involving two meals daily – a relief for them amid the uncertainty.
The woman expressed concern that their funds are dwindling, and the specter of homelessness looms large. Although media primarily focuses on the plight of roughly 5,000 stranded Russian tourists, she highlighted several Belarusian counterparts like herself who are similarly stranded, yet not prioritized for evacuation like their Russian counterparts.
The halt in Fly Dubai flights is linked to the escalating regional conflicts. In response, the company stopped flying over hotspots and refueling, thereby cancelling only Minsk routes.
Extra Insights:The current travel predicament of Belarusian tourists returning from Dubai, while Russian tourists are being actively evacuated, can be traced back to various factors. Though the reasons behind disparate treatments remain unspecified in the available data, potential reasons include regional airspace constraints, different evacuation priorities for nationalities, varying travel restrictions and visa policies, as well as varying degrees of diplomatic ties.
- The Belarusian woman, stranded in Dubai, shared her concerns that while Russian tourists are being actively evacuated, she and other Belarusian tourists are without viable options, as Fly Dubai has suspended operations to Minsk and restricted Belarusians from flights to Russia.
- Despite the media mostly focusing on the plight of the approximately 5,000 stranded Russian tourists, the Belarusian woman highlighted several Belarusian counterparts, like herself, who are similarly stranded yet not prioritized for evacuation like their Russian counterparts.
